


Not Fair

by Nerdychild19



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/M, Identity Issues, Identity Reveal, Marinette also needs a hug, One Shot, One-Shot, Original Akuma, Pre-Relationship, adrien needs a hug, pre-reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-06 00:15:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16821301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nerdychild19/pseuds/Nerdychild19
Summary: "It wasn’t fair.That was all Adrien could think as he watched Marinette laugh with what he was pretty sure was a Kwami that he’d just accidentally seen coming out of her earrings. She handed the small red bug a sugar cookie as she peeked out of the ally in which she had taken refuge, making sure no one had seen her enter. She didn’t see Adrien standing on the roof of the building across the street, clutching his own little black cat in his palm.It’s not fair.He turned and ran."A fic in which Adrien needs to chill, Marinette jumps to conclusions, and they both just need to communicate better.





	Not Fair

_It wasn’t fair._

That was all Adrien could think as he watched Marinette laugh with what he was pretty sure was a Kwami that he’d just accidentally seen coming out of her earrings. She handed the small red bug a sugar cookie as she peeked out of the ally in which she had taken refuge, making sure no one had seen her enter. She didn’t see Adrien standing on the roof of the building across the street, clutching his own little black cat in his palm.

_It’s not fair._

He turned and ran.

* * *

Marinette was pretty sure Chat Noir was ignoring her.

On the surface everything seemed fine; they still fought in perfect sync and he never missed a patrol, but it all felt… off. He didn’t flirt with her, or try to spend more time with her, or make any puns at all. That last fact was disconcerting to say the least. And as much as she wracked her brain, she could not for the life of her figure out what caused this! The last time he’d acted like himself was after the train conductor akuma(he called himself The Conductor, it wasn’t very creative), where he’d made a joke about being late for a grooming appointment, and bounded off. Then that night he hadn’t been able to look her in the eye, and insisted they get on with their patrol so he could get back home. At the time she had assumed it was a temporary thing and that he would talk to her about it when he was ready, but now _2 weeks_ had passed and he was still treating her like a business partner rather than a superhero partner!

Needless to say, it was driving her a little insane.

To make matters worse, it seemed like Adrien was ignoring her too. This one was a little subtler because Adrien and Marinette had less to do with each other and Marinette was already distracted with the mystery of the Suddenly Super Professional Chat Noir, but she did eventually notice that little parts of her day that made her smile/stutter weren’t present anymore. Adrien didn’t say hi to her in the morning, he didn’t tell her about his afternoon plans, and any time he smiled, it was like photoshop had made its way into his everyday life and pasted the look on his face.

Marinette had somehow managed to upset two of the most important people in her life and she had no idea how to fix her relationship with either.

* * *

2 weeks, 3 days, and 4 hours after battling The Conductor, Marinette decided she’d had enough.

Ladybug and Chat Noir had just won the fight against Toy Maker, an Akuma that brought toys to life to attack the superhero duo. This probably would have been mostly fine, except for the fact that parisians apparently have some pretty weird stuff in their house, including but not limited to, a giant stuffed animal dog, full sets of knight’s armor, and a life sized dalek that could wipe you from existence if it tried(and let there be no doubt, it was definitely trying).

Despite this, there were plenty of opportunities for jokes, like when the inflatable t-rex stepped on a metal spike, or when the lifelike sex doll tried to handcuff Chat to a metal poll. But he just kicked in their heads and moved on to the next one, and when the battle was over and they were standing on a roof overlooking the renewed peace backlit by the setting sun, he tapped her fist, gave a half hearted “Bien jou”, and started off.

“Chat stop!”

He froze, seemingly weighing his options, but Ladybug’s tone left no room for argument. He turned around, but focused his attention on the skyline behind her.

“Yes Ladybug?”

Marinette flinched. When had she stopped being his lady? Why did that feel so wrong? Despite this, she held her ground. Whatever was wrong between them was going to be sorted out here and now.

“Why are you ignoring me?”

Chat’s disinterested facade cracked, surprised by her decision to address his change in attitude. He looked her in the eyes and for just a moment, Marinette felt like she could see everything he’d been holding his tongue on lying just outside her reach. If they could just stay there for a moment longer, just a second more then maybe they they could solve this. Maybe..

But he recovered quickly, and shifting his gaze to the floor, he took whatever emotions he had let slip through and locked them away once more. “I’m not-”

“Cut the bull crap!” Chat stopped for a moment, and Marinette took the opportunity to continue. “You’ve been ignoring me. You might show up to Akuma attacks and patrol, but you don’t joke, or talk, or even flirt anymore!”

He scoffed, but still wouldn’t look her in the eye. “I thought you wanted me to stop flirting?”

Marinette reeled. “No! I mean, sure, you could tone it down a little but you don’t have to stop completely!” She let out a short breath and shook her head, trying to get back on track. “But all of that is besides the point because you didn’t just decide to stop because you came to the sudden realization that I wasn’t a fan. Fine, maybe ignoring isn’t the right word, but it’s close enough so-”

“I know who you are.”

Marinette stilled and her blood ran cold. “What?”

He was finally meeting her gaze, looking at her with almost the same expression as before, but there was something else in it. Guilt? Shame, maybe? She didn’t have a chance to decide before her miraculous beeped, and his followed soon after. He didn’t break eye contact, daring her to stay and face what he had just said. But she wouldn’t, she couldn’t, so she voiced the next best solution.

“Fine. Meet at our spot in 15 minutes. If you don’t show up, I swear on my Kwami that I will find you and skin you alive, you got that?”

She was speaking with a strength that wasn’t mirrored in her mind. Her very bones felt like they could crumple and fall at any moment because he _knew_ and he had _ignored her for two weeks_ because of it. She watched as he gulped, gave her a small nod, and bounded off. Only when he was out of sight did she let her transformation fall and her legs stop supporting her.

“Marinette… are you ok?” Tikki was already munching on a cookie, but her big blue eyes were wide with concern. “What Chat said was quite a shock.”

“I know.”

“What are you going to do?”

What was she going to do? She _wanted_ to cry. She wanted to scream. She wanted to sit here and curse the powers that be for the rest of eternity. She wanted to hide. Put away her earrings and never think about ladybug again, and ignore any and every boy with blond hair and green eyes who ever spoke to her.

But she couldn’t do any of that, because she was Ladybug, hero of Paris, partner of Chat Noir, and the only one who could purify akumas. She couldn’t afford to do what she wanted to do, not in this moment. So she straightened herself up, taking whatever she had just been feeling and bottling it up somewhere deep inside herself. “I’m going to talk to him.”

* * *

When she arrived at the top of the Eiffel tower, Chat was already there, legs were dangling out into the abyss below. Night had fallen, and the only reason Ladybug could see her partner was the faint shine of his suit in the moonlight. The only indication that he heard her arrive was a small twitch of the ears on top of his head.

“So, you know who I am?”

He didn’t turn around. “Yeah, I do Marinette.”

Her chest suddenly felt tight. She didn’t realize how weird it would be to hear that name while still in the suit. She let out a breath, sat beside him, and looked out at the city spread out before her, hoping it would give her some answers. Before she could decide how to respond, Chat spoke.

“I’m just, I’m sorry Ladybug, I know you didn’t want this, it’s just, it was an accident, and I just… I just panicked.”

“It’s ok.” Her voice was so soft, it could’ve been the wind just passing through on its way to someplace warm. But it wasn’t, she just couldn’t find the strength to speak any louder.

“It’s just… It’s just not fair.” His voice broke, and she really looked at him for the first time since she arrived. He was clutching the side of the tower with all he had; his knuckles were probably white underneath his suit and his breathing was shallow. He looked like he might cry.

The meaning of his words finally caught up to her. It wasn’t fair? Her identity was so... _disappointing_ that he had decided it wasn’t fair to him? What was she supposed to say to that?

“What?”

He shook his head. “That came out wrong. It’s just that… I’ve put you on a pedestal since I met you. I know you had a rough start, but you’ve been amazing since then, truly...” he let out a small laugh. “Miraculous. And I’ve wanted to know your identity since the beginning, partially because I wanted to be able to talk to you outside the suit but also partially… God this sound so conceited now, but… I wanted to know you weren’t Ladybug outside the suit.”

Wait, what?

“I wanted to know that you have some flaws, that you are just as different as I am outside the suit.” He let out a dark chuckle. “But then I found out that you’re Marinette Dupain-Cheng.” Marinette felt her chest seize up again, and she braced herself for the inevitable let down coming her way.

“Of course my partner’s alter ego is the only person in the world who is arguably more awesome than Ladybug herself.”

“Wait, _what_?”

He finally looked up at her. “Well, what did you expect me to say?” He looked back out at the infinite night sky. “You are the kindest person I’ve ever met. You help all of your classmates without question every chance you get, you did my job _for_ me when we were fighting the illistraiter, hell Marinette, your classmates have literally called you an everyday Ladybug! If you told my classmates I was Chat Noir they would laugh in your face. I don’t measure up to you as a hero or a civilian, and I just couldn’t handle that. I’m sorry for taking it out on you.”

Marinette let out something between a sob and a laugh. Chat looked back at her, trying to understand what to him seemed like a sudden shift in emotion. “My Lady?”

She tried to get herself under control so she could speak, but her voice was still intermittently interrupted by sobs. “I just… I just thought… I thought you were disappointed.”

Horror etched itself onto every line in Chat’s face. “No! Oh my god no. Is that what I made you think? My lady I am so so sorry-”

Marinette found enough strength to speak without breaking down. “But you’re wrong you know.”

Chat stopped short. “What?”

She took another breath to steady herself. “Your research was very thorough, and I’m not exactly sure how you found that out, but you’re wrong. I’m not perfect, I’m nowhere close.”

“Marinette…”

“Did you know I caused 10 akuma attacks? Ten, Chat. Antibug, Gamer, Volpina, Santa Claws, Prime Queen, Riposte, Befina, Dark Owl, Reverser, and Glaciator. Five of those were as Ladybug, but the rest were all Marinette. Riposte was because I cracked under pressure, Glaciator was because I insulted a kind man’s ice cream because I was upset over a boy, Befina was because I disappointed my _grandmother_ , Reverser because I stuck my nose where it didn’t belong, and Gamer was because I wanted to hang out with my crush so badly that I didn’t realize how much beating Max would hurt him. I’m hot headed, selfish, and I’ve let a stupid crush get in way of me being a good and kind person more than once! Marinette is not a perfect person, and she is in _no way_ comparable to Ladybug. And though I don’t know who you are, I know for a fact that you are just as, if not more, amazing outside of the suit as you are in.”

She expected Chat to say something, but he was silent. When she finally got the courage to glance over at him, she found him staring at her like she had 2 heads. “M’lady, how could you say that? You’re wonderful.”

She looked away again. “But I-”

He didn’t let her finish. “No, Marinette, sure you made mistakes, but everyone does. What makes you special is your kindness and constant effort to be your best self and right your wrongs. Hell, you’re the reason Marc and Nath got together in the first place! You can’t honestly think that was a mistake.”

She let out a little chuckle. “I guess not…”

“You’re amazing Marinette. I am so, incredibly lucky to have a partner like you.”

He pulled her into a side hug and she curled into his shoulder, looking out into the fading blue of the sky. “Thanks Kitty.”

“Always,” he breathed, and they watched the sky fade to black together.

Suddenly he was pulling his arm away. “Wait..”

When she looked over at him, he seemed to be thinking hard about something, connecting dots she couldn’t yet see. She watched as understanding dawned on his face.

“You have a crush on Adrien Agreste?”

She snorted. “You found out all of that stuff about me, but you didn’t know I have crush on Adrien? Everyone knows I like him.”

His voice was as soft as the first snowfall on Christmas Eve. “Why?”

She gave him a confused look. “Why wouldn’t I? He’s the kindest person I know. He sees the good in everyone, even Chloe. He saw the good in me even though I treated him like a complete bitch on his first day at school. I can barely ever get a full sentence out around him, but he still treats me with all of the respect and kindness in the world.” She looked Chat over thoughtfully. “He actually reminds me a little bit of you.”

Chat did a double take. “What?”

She shrugged. “Well, maybe not the you you show to the world, but the you I see all of the time on patrol. You’re kind and thoughtful. What, you don’t want me comparing you to Adrien?”

He was looking down at his hands. “I just don’t understand what the amazing Marinette Dupain-Cheng sees in obedient little Adrien Agreste.”

Marinette sucked in a breath, fighting the response she desperately wanted to let fly. “Ok, I know you don’t know him so I’ll let that one slide, but you know nothing about him. It is not his fault he was raised in such a terrible household, with a negligent father and unreachable expectations. He does his best, constantly, to impress someone who refuses to acknowledge how exceptional he is. And despite being incredibly privileged, he is the opposite of spoiled. He could’ve turned out like Chloe, but he didn’t, because he’s not that kind of person. You would be lucky to be Adrien Agreste. Hell, if I was even half the person Adrien is, Ladybug would be a much better hero.”

Chat was barely breathing, and he looked like he might cry. “You… you really think that?”

Marinette gave him a strange look. “Yeah, of course, that’s why I said it, are you ok?”

Now Chat really was crying, and Marinette had no idea why. Was it something she said? What should she do? How does she fix this?

“Can I show you who I am now?”

Marinette wasn’t sure what that had to do with anything. “I don’t see why not, but Chat are you sure-”

Before she could finish speaking, her partner was engulfed in a blinding green light. When she her eyes readjusted to the night, she saw a familiar mop of blond hair and the black shirt illuminated by the city of lights. She gasped.

“Adrien?”

Suddenly she thought back to the all of the things he’d just said, and she felt her heart break in her chest. She let her transformation fall and pulled him into a hug. “Oh, Adrien.”

He let out a sob and clutched her tighter. She didn’t know how long she was holding him, but eventually his breathing slowed and he started to pull away. She begrudgingly let him, but made sure he stayed close. He rested his forehead on hers.

“Thank you Marinette.”

“Always, Adrien.”

They didn’t leave to tower until they had watched the sun rise the next morning. They let the new day represent a new beginning, resetting their sins, and starting their partnership anew.

* * *

Two Kwamis hovered a few feet away from the superhero duo, watching the scene unfold.

Tikki fluttered happily. “They’re just so cute!”

Plagg sighed. “Is this a bad time to ask for cheese?”

“Yes, Plagg.”

Plagg sighed again, but did not say any more. He could get cheese tomorrow.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! I hope you liked it! This is my first fic, so constructive criticism is much appreciated. Thank you so much for reading!!!


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